Thursday, September 12, 2013

Film mogul and concert promoter Harvey Weinstein told a Toronto International Film Festival audience this week that guitarist Jimmy Page turned down a request for Led Zeppelin to reunite at last fall’s 12.12.12 Hurricane Sandy Benefit Concert, despite his best efforts to make it happen and a conditional green light from Robert Plant.

The Huffington Post reports Weinstein’s comments came at a post-screening Q&A event for the 12.12.12 documentary film at Toronto’s Wintergarden Theatre.

Weinstein was convinced that a Led Zeppelin appearance could significantly increase the amount of money that the benefit could earn for victims of the hurricane. So he approached Robert Plant.

"We get an OK from Plant if Page will do it... Jimmy Page doesn't want to do it," Weinstein explained with a dramatic flair. "Jimmy Page's lawyer... Maybe he works for Satan? Maybe he is Satan?"

Undeterred, Weinstein asked Hillary Clinton if she could lend her considerable diplomatic skills to the cause. She didn't think that she'd be the best person to talk Led Zeppelin into reforming, so she recruited her husband Bill.

Former President Bill Clinton took up the cause. "Bill talked to the group and Jimmy told him no," Weinstein said with barely concealed rage. Still, he wasn't ready to give up just yet. As a last ditch effort, Weinstein asked President Barack Obama for help.

"Jimmy Page struck out Obama and Bill Clinton," Weinstein sighed. "That will live on in infamy."

The 12-12-12 event at Madison Square Garden, which featured performances from Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, Paul McCartney and many others, raised $50 million to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Read more about the attempts to have Led Zeppelin reunite for 12.12.12 here.